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The differences between lead drivers and haul truck drivers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a lead driver and a haul truck driver. Additionally, a haul truck driver has an average salary of $60,932, which is higher than the $43,769 average annual salary of a lead driver.
The top three skills for a lead driver include DOT, work ethic and CDL. The most important skills for a haul truck driver are CDL, DOT, and traffic violations.
| Lead Driver | Haul Truck Driver | |
| Yearly salary | $43,769 | $60,932 |
| Hourly rate | $21.04 | $29.29 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 821,463 | 704,286 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 40% | High School Diploma, 47% |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
Lead drivers are professionals who are responsible for supervising the staff drivers of either a logistics or trucking company. These lead drivers must manage the communication between drivers and personnel while generating dispatch reports base on their drivers' tracking logs. They must ensure that vehicles are fit for use according to the standards of the Department of Transportation (DOT) by checking engines and maintaining sufficient fluid levels of all vehicles. Lead drivers must also train and supervise new drivers about the company's policy and safety regulations.
Haul Truck Drivers are skilled professional drivers. They are licensed to drive around heavy vehicles such as trucks. They usually travel long distances to deliver goods from one place to another. They should be able to meet delivery time expectations. As such, Haul Truck Drivers should have good time management skills. They should also have the presence of mind while driving and must obey all traffic rules. They should know the best routes to take for each particular trip. They must also ensure that their trucks are well-maintained. Haul truck Drivers should be strong enough to assist in loading up the truck or reloading the content.
Lead drivers and haul truck drivers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Lead Driver | Haul Truck Driver | |
| Average salary | $43,769 | $60,932 |
| Salary range | Between $27,000 And $68,000 | Between $40,000 And $92,000 |
| Highest paying City | Newark, NJ | Tulsa, OK |
| Highest paying state | New Hampshire | Oklahoma |
| Best paying company | Univar | Tyson Foods |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Transportation |
There are a few differences between a lead driver and a haul truck driver in terms of educational background:
| Lead Driver | Haul Truck Driver | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 40% | High School Diploma, 47% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between lead drivers' and haul truck drivers' demographics:
| Lead Driver | Haul Truck Driver | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 86.7% Female, 13.3% | Male, 87.4% Female, 12.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 12.3% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 20.9% Asian, 3.4% White, 58.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 11.6% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 19.6% Asian, 3.8% White, 59.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |